At 7:00 PM on July 21st, Nantong Zhiyun will host Shandong Taishan at the Rugao Olympic Center in the 24th round of the Chinese Super League.
The league is nearing its end, and “fighting spirit” is crucial. The two teams are currently in very different situations. Nantong Zhiyun is described by the media as being “on the edge of a cliff.” They are currently ranked last in the Chinese Super League, but only 2 points away from the “relegation line,” making this a real opportunity for them to fight for survival. In contrast, Shandong Taishan is in a different position. They are currently ranked 5th in the league, but are 11 points behind the top three, making their chances of qualifying for the Asian Champions League very slim. Will this lead to a lack of focus from some of the players? At least, Shandong media are concerned.
Physical fitness is also a key factor. Both teams played in the FA Cup during the week, but with different levels of commitment. Nantong Zhiyun, who are desperate to stay up, essentially abandoned the FA Cup, fielding almost an entirely reserve team and losing to Chengdu Rongcheng, which resulted in their elimination. Shandong Taishan, on the other hand, deployed a large number of their key players, beating Qingdao West Coast 4-0 to reach the quarter-finals, leaving them with a significant amount of fatigue. Before the game, head coach Choi Kang-hee expressed his concerns about fitness and preparation. He pointed out that the recent schedule has been very demanding, with the team playing back-to-back games. They have only had time to recover, and not enough time for targeted preparation. They can only “rely on the players to show their fighting spirit” to overcome the difficulties.
In terms of form, Nantong Zhiyun ended a good run of 3 wins and 1 draw in the second half of June, but have suffered three consecutive defeats in July, their form has been poor. Shandong Taishan’s situation is the opposite. On July 6th, they suffered a humiliating 0-6 away loss to Shanghai Shenhua, setting a new club record. However, they have since bounced back with 1 draw and 1 win in their last two games, aiming to redeem themselves.
In terms of head-to-head records, the two teams have met four times in the last three years, with Shandong Taishan winning two and drawing two, remaining undefeated. In the first round of this season, Shandong Taishan won 3-1 at home.
The media in both cities have listed foreign players as the key players to watch before the game. For Nantong Zhiyun, Nigerian forward Anthony is the heart of their defense, and this “scoring centre-back,” who has scored 2 goals, is also important for Nantong, who lack attacking power. In the FA Cup, Nantong fielded an entirely reserve team, but the coach subsequently brought on Anthony, leading to the foreign player getting injured on the poor pitch at the Phoenix Mountain Stadium. Pre-match reports indicate that the injury is not serious, and he may be able to play in this game, but whether he will be at full fitness remains to be seen.
For Shandong Taishan, the key players are also two foreign players. One is Kressan, who scored a hat-trick in the first meeting between the two teams. His form will be crucial to the game. The other is Brazilian forward Marcel, who recently joined the team. Shandong Taishan has been struggling with the absence of injured foreign defender Jadson, with no one to replace him. The arrival of the 28-year-old new foreign player could mark his debut, and his ability will be a key point to watch.
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